Trim element for closure frames



Jan. 13, 1948. o. B. MERRILL 2,434,504

TRIM ELEMENT FQR CLOSURE FRAMES Filed Oct. 24, 1946 Patented Jan. 13,1948 omreo sures rem oFFi-ce This invention-mates totrim elements for'closure frames, such as those of automobile doors, windows an the like,which elements cooperate with the cldsures for' the'fran'ies, and moreparticularlyit relates to the collect such an element which carries'oris covered by suitable soft material which makes direct contact with theclosure and which also may support ornamental finish elements.

Such a core may be made of flexible but not limp sheet material, such asthin soft metal and it should be possible to bend it to suit curvedportions of the openings to which it is applied without distortion ofits general shape although a considerable area may be disposed in theplane of the bend. An example is a guide channel for receiving andguiding the edge of a window glass, such as is herein illustrated, andwhich, if applied to a window opening having a partially curvedboundary, must be curved to that boundary in the planes of the channelflanges, Various constructions have been used more or lesssatisfactorily for meeting this requirement, a trim element which may bebent as described being broadly new. The purpose of my invention is toprovide a construction not only highly efficient on this point, but alsorugged and durable and cheaply and easily manufactured.

As a major field for the application of the invention would be inconnection with channels for receiving the edge or a window glass, Ihave illustrated such a construction by Way of example in theaccompanying drawings, which are described in the specification whichfollows. In these drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of a fragment of ablank from which the core is formed;

Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views illustrating successive steps in themanipulation of the blank in the course of manufacture of the core;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the channel core, partly broken away;

Fig, 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 on an enlarged scale; AFig. 6 is a similar section showing a completed channel; H

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary plan view showing an intermediate stage in themanufacture of a channel of modified construction corresponding to thestage of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 8 is aside elevation, partly broken away, of the channel'forniedf-rom the blank of Fig. '7 and corresponds to Fig. 4.

Referring now to Fig. 1, I have there shown a strip of suitable nietalcut to form a blank which comprises an elongated central zone l0,correspending more or, less to the web. or bottom of thefinal channel:and which may be and prefer abl 'is continuous and. unbroken throughoutits length as herein illustrated, and which blank further comprises aseries of. independent, spaced, narrow tongues (made up of the portionsnumbered l2 and i4) projecting from both sidesof the zone- 10 and fromwhich at least a. major portion of the channel fianges'areformed, ashereinafter to be described. These tongues herein comprise innerportions I2 projectingv substantially at right angles to the length ofthe central zone i9 and terminal portions [4 which extend at an anglefrom the outer end of the inner porti'ons l2 and which may be generallyin the form of rhomboids or oblique parrallelograms, one of the smallerparallel sides of each of which corresponds to its line of junction withthe inner portion H3 from which it extends.

Fig. 2 illustrates the outer half of the extension l4 folded over on itsmedian which is parallel to its shorter edges, and since theparallelogram is oblique, this. fold is along a line oblique to itslength and thefolded over portion of the' extension I4 will therefore bedirected more or less longitudinally and extend into the space betweenthe inner portion l2 to which it is attach'eddand the correspondingportion [2 of an adjacent tongue.

In Fig. 3 the extension portion l4 has been bent again, this -time alongits line of junction with the inner portion -12. The extension nowcomprises an inwardly trending proximalportion and an outwardly trendingdistal portion which collectively bridge over the space between theinner portion i2 of the tongue to which the extension is attached andthe corresponding portion I2. of an adjacent tongue and rests, withoutattachment, on the face-o1 the latter so as to be free to slidethereover, as will hereinafter appear. Preferably the length of theterminalportions M is so chosenft-hat the 'distal end will lie, asillustrated in Fig. 3,.su-bstantially at the proximal end of thecorresponding extension of an adjacent tongue and herein the distal endis received Within the fold provided by the inwardly folded portion ofthat adjacent extension. It is not immovably clamped thereby, but rathertelescoped therein, with freedom of motion over the faceof the adjacentportion 12,

The structure of Fig. 3 may now be bent into channel arm by folding thelateral lportion's over,

either direction but as herein illustrated away from the reader'viewlngFig. 3, along longitudinal 3 lines at or adjacent the roots of thetongues to form a channel as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, at least theouter portions of the flanges of the channel being formed from thetongue portions of the original strip shown in Fig. 1.

The flanges of the channel, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, have sensiblycontinuous edges of multiple thickness provided by the interengagingtongues, which latter, nevertheless, are capable of relative movement topermit the flange to be bent in its plane without distortion of thechannel form, the ends of the portions 14 sliding over the faces of theportions l2 of adjacent tongues to permit these portions [2 to assumepositions substantially radial to the curve.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated an exemplary construction of a completedchannel utilizing a core as shown in Fig. 5, which construction is adesirable one made possible by this form of core. A covering l6 extendsover the exterior surfaces of the web and flanges of the channel and itsmargins are received beneath the folded over extensions M which extendin the manner of a bead along the exterior surface of the channelflanges at their edges. A covering I8 is applied over the inner surfaceof the channel and its margins are refolded over the edges of thechannel and sealed to the body of the covering IE at 20 along the sides.The integumental covering thus provided is thus mechanically anchored bythe engagement of the folds of the tongues with the margins of the strip16.

Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 illustrate successive steps in the manufacture ofthe channel core and for purposes of clearness are separated. Clearly itis possible to advance a strip longitudinally past several operatingstations and to perform the difierent bending operations (and atsuitable points the application of various covering strips similar to IEand I8) at successive stations so that these figures would illustratesuccessive portions of a single blank at an intermediate stage of itsprocessing. I have considered that the description would be simplifiedby showing in separate views forms successively attained,

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a modified form of core formed from ablank having a central zone I00 and tongues having inner portions I20and outer portions I40. The outer portions I40 in this modification'aremerely bent over on single lines of fold oblique to their length and areof such length that each bridges the space between the inner portion l20from which it extends and the corresponding portion of an adjacenttongue and rests slidably upon the latter. In Fig. 8 the channel isshown formed by bending up the two edge portions of the blank of Fig. 7in a direction toward the reader viewing that figure, the bent-overportions of the tongue being disposed at the inner sides of the flanges.

I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific formswithout departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and Itherefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respectsas illustrative and not restrictive, as is in fact clear in severalmatters from the description itself. Reference is to be had to theappended claims to indicate those principles of the inventionexemplified by the particular embodiment described and which I desire tosecure by Letters Patent.

I claim:

1. A core for a trim element which is mounted on a closure frame andadapted to cooperate with a portion of the closure for the frame, whichcore comprises an elongated strip of substantial width lyingsubstantially in a plane but capable of being bent curvilinearly in thatplane, the strip being formed of sheet material and comprising acontinuous portion along one side from which projects a series ofindependent spaced tongues having terminal portions which are bent overalong lines oblique to their length to extend in a direction generallylongitudinal of the strip each across the space between the tongue towhich it belongs and the adjacent tongue and with its distal endslidably overlapping the adjacent tongue.

2. A core for a trim element which is mounted on a closure frame andadapted to cooperate with a portion of the closure for the frame, whichcore comprises an elongated strip of substantial width lyingsubstantially in a plane but capable of being bent curvilinearly in thatplane, the strip being formed of sheet material and comprising acontinuous portion along one side from which projects a series ofindependent spaced tongues having terminal portions which are bent overalong lines oblique to their length to extend in a direction generallylongitudinal of the strip each across the space between the tongue towhich it belongs and the adjacent tongue and with its distal endslidably overlapping the adjacent tongue and received within the foldformed at the proximal end of the terminal portion of said adjacenttongue.

3. A core for a trim element which is mounted on a closure frame andadapted to cooperate with a portion of the closure for the frame, whichcore comprises an elongated strip of substantial width lyingsubstantially in a plane but capable of being bent curvilinearly in thatplane, the strip being formed of sheet material and comprising acontinuous portion along one side from which projects a. series ofindependent spaced tongues having terminal portions of generallyrhomboidal shape which are bent and rebent along their proximal ends andbetween their ends to provide bridges extending to and resting onadjacent tongues comprising an inwardly trending proximal portion and anoutwardly trending distal portion, the distal end of each terminalportion lying adjacent the proximal end of the terminal portion of acompanion tongue, the bridge being capable of motion relative to thecompanion tongue when the strip is bent to a curve.

4. A channel for receiving the edge of a window glass or the likecomprising a core formed of sheet material having a web or bottomportion and sides of substantial depth corresponding to the flanges ofthe channel, the sides comprising each a series of independent spacedtongues proj ecting from a continuous portion extending along an angleof the channel, the tongues having terminal portions which are bent overalong lines oblique to their length to extend in a direction generallylongitudinal of the channel each across the space between the tongue towhich it belongs and the adjacent tongue and with its distal endslidably overlapping the adjacent tongue, a covering for one surface ofthe web and flanges of the channel having its margins received betweenthe folded-over portions and the other portions of the tongues and acovering for the other surface of the web and flanges having its marginssealed to the body of the first mentioned covering inwardly of the saidmargins of the former, whereby the complete integumental covering ismechanically anchored by the engagement of the folds of the tongues withsaid margins of the first mentioned strip.

5. A core for a trim element which is mounted on a closure frame andadapted to cooperate with a portion of the closure for the frame, whichcore comprises an elongated strip of substantial width lyingsubstantially in a plane but capable of being bent curvilinearly in thatplane, the strip being formed of sheet material and comprising acontinuous portion along one side from which projects a series ofindependent spaced tongues having terminal portions which are bent toextend across the spaces between adjacent tongues and telescopicallyengaged one with another to provide an efiectively continuous butlongitudinally compressible edge portion for the strip.

6. A core for a window channel formed of sheet material having a web orbottom portion and sides of substantial depth corresponding to theflanges of the channel, the sides comprising each a series ofindependent spaced tongues projecting from a continuous portionextending along an angle of the channel, the tongues having terminalportions which are bent over along lines oblique to their length toextend in a direction generally longitudinal of the channel each acrossthe space between the tongue to which it belongs and the adjacent tongueand with its distal end slidably overlapping the adjacent tongue.

7. A core for a window channel formed of sheet material having a Web orbottom portion and sides of substantial depth corresponding to theflanges of the channel, the sides comprising each a series ofindependent spaced tongues projecting from a continuous portionextending along an angle of the channel, the tongues having terminalportions which are bent over along lines oblique to their length toextend in a direction generally longitudinal of the channel each acrossthe space between the tongue to which it belongs and the adjacent tongueand with its distal end slidably overlapping the adjacent tongue andreceived within the fold formed at the proximal end of the terminalportion of said adjacent tongue.

8. A core for a window channel formed of sheet material having a web orbottom portion and sides of substantial depth corresponding to theflanges of the channel, the sides comprising each a series ofindependent spaced tongues projecting from a continuous portionextending along an angle of the channel, the tongues having terminalportions of generally rhomboidal shape which are bent and rebent alongtheir proximal ends and between their ends to provide bridges extendingto and resting on adjacent tongues comprising an inwardly trendingproximal portion and an outwardly trending distal portion, the distalend of each terminal portion lying adjacent the proximal end of theterminal portion of a companion tongue, the bridge being capable ofmotion relative to the companion tongue when the channel is bent to acurve.

OLIVER B. MERRILL.

